Asking Questions (on Assigned Materials)

This usually happens through a forum in Moodle or a Google Doc.

Purpose:

There are at least three: 1) your chance to ask for clarification on a confusing aspect of the text; 2) gives me a sense of your interest and investment in the subject; and 3) shapes the in-class conversation and contributes to the intellectual life of the class. 

Format: (one question per week)

• A passage from the text (cite the page number or time mark on the video)

• Your question (ask yourself if this question is from within the text, or from without?)

• A brief comment regarding why your question matters.

• Your name and time you posted it.

NOTES:

• Have some sense of how the passage-question relates to our subject, to what we have studied thus far, and stakes in it.

• Give the instructor and the intellectual community enough time to review and think about your question.

• Though done respectfully, we need not avoid challenging and debating ideas  

• Usually impossible to cover every question in the class – our texts are just too rich – I try to address those in some direct or indirect way. You are welcome to emphasize it to me before the class, or discuss it afterwards. Office meeting hours is another possibility.